Beasts Of The East: 10 Asian Cars Which Deserve A Restomod

November 29, 2017

Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII

Years produced: 2003-2005

The Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII is a car that has a huge cult following in some countries such as the UK. It’s not hard to see why. The only true rival to the Subaru Imprezza WRX, the Evo VIII does so many things extremely well. It’s that rarest of things, a jack of all trades who’s mastered them. If you want to actually tear down some dirt trails at high speed, you can do that. If you want to do a drag race, you can do that. If you want to corner? You can do that. It’s impeccably balanced. Although the 2-liter engine may seem small by US standards, it still manages to kick out around 300 horsepower in a small car. The results are the kind of dramatic speed you’d expect from maybe a sports bike. Even given this, the economy is acceptable, and it’s far more practical for day to day life than you may think.

Which changes should be made to the Evo VIII, in my opinion? Most importantly, do something about the awful interior. Stepping inside you’re presented with layer upon layer of cheap looking plastic. The switches and knobs look like they could have come from a Dodge Neon. I’m not exaggerating, it’s horrendous. Rip it all out, and replace it with some good-looking vinyl or leather, as well as new and more solid switches. I like the exterior personally, but if you’re not a fan, consider dropping it lower and making it more of a speedster than a rally star. As for the engine? It’s very solid, as I said earlier, but if you want more? Maybe throw a V6, or even a V8 (it has been done) to add even more power.

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